The Usability Team

Rich Gunther

I've been in the usability field for nearly ten years, with my experience
encompassing academic research, corporate usability engineering, consulting as a
usability engineer and information architect, and volunteerism for the Usability
Professionals Association. My excitement for the field derives from my desire to
always be an early adopter of technology, while at the same time being skeptical
of that technology's usability, utility, and quality. I've been lucky to work
with a variety of different types of products and in a variety of industries:
software, telecom, web design, manufacturing, medical devices, and entertainment
technology are just a few.

I consider myself to be a particularly pragmatic usability expert. I come
from a technical background, with 15 years of computer programming experience. I
am sensitive to the balance between usability, functionality, and quality. My
design recommendations are based not only on severity, but also on feasibility
and cost-benefit analysis. My methodological rigor comes from solid quality
assurance practice: I am wary of amateur usability in the same way I am
apprehensive of buggy software or poor product design methods.

Finally, my research endeavors with the UPA revolve around the evolution of
usability from an often-mystifying science into a practical, well-defined
business practice. I envision a place at the table with development, sales,
marketing, and management, and I strive for bottom-line accountability for every
dollar spent on usability and user-centered design. I hope to bring these
philosophies to bear as a member of The Usability Team.

Scott Butler

I have been in the usability field since 1991 at companies like IBM, Progressive Insurance, and Rockwell Software.
This experience instilled a pragmatic approach to usability that balances
user needs with the needs of the business.

For me, working with technologists and businesspeople is a privilege; understanding
the goals and objectives they have for a product is my first priority.
Many usability consultants lead with questions like, "Who are your users?" I believe
a user-experience strategy should be based on factors like: the goals
you have for your product; your company's key business drivers; the technologies involved in your product development
environment; and the skill set of your developers and designers. Once those are known, we can
move on to scoping your users and ascertaining the risks they introduce to the successful deployment of your product.

You can expect to receive a usability services solution that is tailored to
the state of your product, the appetite of your development team, the realities
of your budget, and your development deadlines. Within this context, you can rely on The Usability Team to
enthusiastically advocate for your users and maximize the usability and
usefulness of your product.